


Heat Haze

by Starshe11



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Based on a Vocaloid Song, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 22:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14067084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starshe11/pseuds/Starshe11
Summary: “This is all real, dear Noctis. Good luck trying to save your friend…again.” | Based on the Vocaloid song "Kagerou Daze" by Shizen no Teki-P | Noctis and Prompto POVs





	Heat Haze

15th of August, M.E. 753 | 12:30 PM

 

It all happened so quickly.

One minute, I was sitting and talking with Prompto like always at the park across my apartment building. We were both bored with nothing to do on this hot summer’s day, our usual hangouts not feeling quite right today.

He was beside me on the bench, petting a stray puppy that came by.

He was telling me how much he hated the summer because he burned...sorry, tanned so easily.

 

The next…

The dog ran away.

Prompto ran after it like a madman, as he always did when it came to them.

The traffic light turned red.

But not quickly enough for that truck driver.

 

So much blood…

But I still held him tightly as we waited for an ambulance to come, and watched as the light faded from his eyes.

I remember hearing someone screaming his name so loudly.

I remembered my voice growing hoarse.

 

But what I remembered most of all was the way the heat seemed to mock us.

Of Prompto losing his life the very season he represented…the season he hated the most.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as time seemed to stop, the sounds of the city fading away into nothing.

 

As I looked up, the haze took on the shape of a tall man in robes. His presence was like the very heat itself: suffocating.

The world seemed to stand still as he came closer, the sneer on his face growing larger and more sinister with each step.

Stopping just a few steps away, a sick laugh tore itself free from his blackened lips.

 

When he was through, he leaned in and whispered in my ear:

 

“This is all real, dear Noctis. Good luck trying to save your friend…again.”

 

I barely registered the feeling of his rough hand on my forehead before the world suddenly became covered in black slime.

—–XV—–

14th of August, M.E. 753 | 12:10 PM

 

I practically leaped from my bed at the sound of my ringtone, the standard chime sounding more annoying than it usually did. Maybe because I just woke up from a nightmare?

I wiped the cold sweat from my brow and sat up before I answered the call, a familiarly cheerful voice coming in from the other line.

 

“Noct! You finally picked up! Meet me at the arcade in ten minutes, okay? I wanna show you some pictures I took yesterday.”

“Huh? Don’t wanna…Why don’t you just come up here?”

“Ehhhh,” Prompto whined. “Come on! I’ll even treat you to some ice cream, okay?”

“Fine, fine. As long as it’s a double scoop.”

“Whatever you say, Princey!”

“Nerd.”

 

When the call ended, I tried to remember that dream I just had…the one that had me so worked up in the first place.

But nothing came to mind. Nothing but the fact that I was going to meet him in ten minutes.

\----XV----

14th of August, M.E. 753 | 12:30 PM

 

“Shit, I’m late…”

I ran through the humid streets of Insomnia, cursing and hoping that he hadn’t been waiting too long.

Then I saw him across the street, catching his breath by the building beside construction site as he clutched his camera to his chest.

 

“Prompto! Over here!”

He grinned and turned at the sound of my voice, and raised his hand in the air to wave back…

 

“Look out!”

 

…Only to stop as steel bars fell from the sky and pierced him.

 

“NO!”

 

I pushed past the quickly-forming crowd, not really paying attention to the people asking me to “stay back” and “let the police handle this, Highness”.

All that mattered then was that I needed to go to Prompto’s side.

That smile he shot me just a few seconds before was still there on his now-pale face, his camera smashed on the pavement below.

 

“No…this can’t be real. It just…can’t be.”

“Oh, but it is~”

 

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as a sense of dread washed over me. But that wasn’t what freaked me out.

It was the sudden feeling of deja vu.

As the sounds of the city faded into silence, I looked up, as if on instinct…

…Only to be faced with my worst nightmare.

 

“How long will you keep denying it?” He cackled, the sound grating to my ears. “This is no dream…it’s the real thing.”

“Now.” He leaned in just like before, lips and eyes leaking the same black slime. “Do make things more entertaining next time, hmm?”

 

The world became covered in black slime once more.

—–XV—–

??? | ??? 

The cycle went on for decades.

I realized this after the first two had passed.

 

Prompto dies. I can’t seem to stop it. The haze (whom I call Ardyn) continues to taunt me.

Always on the same two days.

 

August 14 and 15.

 

I now know what to expect every time I wake up.

Every time, I watched my best friend die.

Every time, at 12:30 PM, no matter what I tried.

 

Warping.

 

Staying at either of our houses for the whole day.

 

Calling the Crownsguard for a protection detail.

 

Nothing ever worked.

 

Sometimes, I watched him die by myself.

 

Other times, I was with Gladio or Ignis.

 

Those times were ten times worse than when I was by myself.

 

Each death was more brutal than the last.

Each death was harder to watch.

 

Every cycle ended the same way, with Ardyn laughing at me.

With the world being consumed in black slime.

 

But not today.

Today would be different.

 

This time, I will definitely keep Prompto alive.

\----XV----

14th of August, M.E. 753 | 12:30 PM

I stood at the exact same place I remembered Prompto being at on this day, where he caught his breath.

Where he caught his breath and got speared to death.

 

“Noct!”

 

I looked up from my watch to see him in front of me. For a few seconds, I just stood there, taking in his cheerful smile.

I took a deep breath.

 

And shoved him hard.

“Prompto! Move!”

 

“What the hell dude?” He snapped. “Why’d you…?”

 

As the words came out of his mouth, I heard the same warning from the construction worker as always…

…Except it was meant for me this time.

 

“Look out!”

 

*SHNNNK*

“NO!”

 

Heh…Being impaled really hurts…

“Noct! Nononono!” A familiar voice called my name. I felt warm just hearing it. “Stay with me, buddy! Please!”

Looking up with the last of my strength, I saw Prompto.

But he wasn’t the usual Prompto.

He was crying…why was he crying again?

 

Oh yeah.

 

“Glad…you’re safe.” I managed to choke out, feeling my eyelids grow heavy.

Before I closed my eyes for the final time, I saw a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye.

Except he wasn’t laughing this time.

 

‘Serves you right, you damn bastard.’

 

Then nothing.

—–XV—–

14th of August, M.E. 753 | 12:00 PM

 

I woke up with a jolt, my clothes soaked in cold sweat as tears streamed down my cheeks.

I can’t believe I failed this time too…

 

But don’t worry, Noct.

 

I’ll find a way to save you somehow.


End file.
